Collapsible box



H. H. YERKy ET AL April 5, 1927.

' COLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed Maron f5, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Strom,

April 5, 1927.

H. H. YERK ET AL coLLAPsIBl-.En BOX Filed Maron s, i924 4 sheets-sheet :s

1' ew, l l al.; 29 S3 4,

. 6 4.4 '7/6 3104 I H15 l l I 30 2 f 1,623,609 Apnl 5 1927' H. H. vWERK ET Al.

COLLAPSIBLE BOX Filed March 5. 14924 4 Sheets-Sheet' 4 @Hoang Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

`r entren STATES@ Partnr ori-"Fica HENRY H Ynnx AND wrLLIlnli/y J. BAUM-BERGER, or" DAVENPORT, IOWA',- Assis-Nons- To MICROMACHINE colvneiftrw,l on nnrfrnnn'omi, IOWA, A CORPORATION or Iowni.

GOLLAPSIBLE BOX.

Application filed March 3, 1324. Serial NOV 696,435.

rIfhis invention relates to folding` boxes or crates particularlyuseful for shipping'- articles suchl as bread, etc, and is designed to be folded'into compact forni for return ship- 1 ment.

An Objectvof the present invention is to provide a folding box which can be very quickly 'andV easily folded into a compact form in which the lparts of the box are so nested together that they `are effectively protected` against injury byv rough handling inthe returnashipi'nent.

A further-object of the invention is to provide locking means in connection with the hinged lid ofV the boxwhich serves to holdY securing" the endl walls in extended'position.v

A. further object is to kprovide a folding box whose. top and bottoni, side and end.

walls are'Y forined'ofr sheet metal sections hingedly connected: by hinge nienibers so constructed and positionedf as to effectively reinforce the structure..

TWith` the above and rother objects in view the invention may-be said to comprise the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following; specilication and. particularly setfort'h in( thek ap-A pended clai1ns,itogether with such variations and' modifications ftlierefoii as will be apparent to those skilled in. the art tio whichthe invention appertains.` y

Reference shouldbe had to the accompanying drawingsy forming a part olf this specification, in whichV p Figure l isa top plan view of a folding,Y

' box embodying the invention, the upper portion of the box being' broken away at one end to ,show a portionof the bottoni in elevation-and the walls in horizontal. section.

Fig. 2 is a` view taken as indicated by` the line 2 2, Fig'. l, showing' one half ot the box` in front elevation and the remainder in vertical section:

Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical section taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2.

' rigidity.

F ig. 4 is a horizontall section taken on thev line 4-4`, Fig. 2,` and showing the box partially collapsed. Y V

Fig.. 5' is a horizontal section through the box when collapsed. y

Fig. 6 is an enlarged verticall section taken on line `6'6', Fig; 5. y

Fig. 7' isa detail view showing 'the-hinge connection between the lidand upper flange of the rear wallof the box.

Fig'. 8 is a vertical sectionthroughfalower end corner of the box taken on line y848, F ig. l. l

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on line F ig'. l() is a perspective VView ofA a box of substantially the saine construction' as that illustratedl in Figs., l to 9 but having a lidl of somewhat differentconstruction. V

Fig. 1l is al sectional' view taken on line 11-11', Fig. 1o.

Referringl to the drawings, the box consists of a 'rear wall l formedof a single piece of sheet metal, af'rontwall4 2 also foune-d of a single piece of sheet metal,- end vwalls formed of sections 3, 4 and' 3", 4".` hinged together and to the rear and front walls to foltl inwardly, a lid hinged to the rea-r wall l, and a bottoni formedlby a sectionl Ghingedrto the rear wall l and asection 7 hinged to the front wall. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the section G of the bottoni folds into upright position betweenthe rear@ wall 1- and the sections 3, 3 of the'end walls,y the section 7 of the bottoni folds intovnprightposition between the front wall 2 and .y

the sections 4, 4 of the end walls, and the lid 5 folds over the outside of the front wall 2. The wall, lid and bottom members are all formed of sheetl metal with panels stamped therein to provide the necessary The rear wall 1 has its ends bent inwardly at riOht anogles to 4forni flanges S its lower b r1 e 9 edges bent inwardly to forma bottoni flange 9, and its upper edge bent inwardly to'forni -a top flange l0, the flange l0 extending inwardly farther than the flanges 8 and 9` for' a purpose which willprcsently appear. V

The front wall 2 is alsov provided with marginal inturned flanges.4 1l Vat the ends thereof, 12 at the bottom thereof and 13 at the top thereof. The sections 3, 3" of the end walls are hinged along` their rear edges to the inwardly extending flanges S of the rear wall, the edges of the flanges 8 and the ,sections 3 being cut away and turned back upon themselves to provide interfitting hinge knuckles which are joined by means of hinge pintles 14 extending the full length of the section. The sections 4, 4' of the end walls are joined to the flanges 11 of the front wall by means of pintles 15 in exactly the same way as the sections 3 are joined to the flanges 8 of the rea: wall. The end sections 3 and 4 arc formed to provide interitting hinge knuckles at their inner edges and are joined by pintles 16 which extend the full length thereof. One sect-ion of each of thc end walls has a stop plate 1T secured to the inner edges thereof upon the inside, which, when the sections have been extended into alinement with each other, engage the inner' sides of the sections 4 of the end wall and prevent further outward movement.

Upon the upper edges of each of the end sections 4, 4', are mounted bridge members 4a, 4b which conform to the roll top edges of these sections and are adapted to be slid along them to engage the sections 3, 3 when they are alined respectively with the sections 4, 4'; that is, when the box is in open position.4 The members 4, 4" therefore serve to hold the upper parts of the end scctions 3, 4 and 3', 4' rigidly together against swinging inwardly about the hinge pintle 1G. In order to limit the sliding movement of the members 4, 4 rearwardly along the top edges of the sections 4, 4', lugs 4C are provided which project downwardly and engage the hinges 16 and thus stop further rearward movement. Of course when it is desired to collapse the box the members 4, 4b are moved so that they are disposed entirely on the sections 4, 4' and do not engage the sections 3, 3'.

The front wall 2 is of the same length as the rear wall 1 but the height of the front and end walls is slightly less than the rear wall so that in folding the front and end walls may move freey into positions beneath the top liange 10 of the rear wall with their upper edges closely adjacent thereto, as shown in Fig. 6.

The edge of the top flange 10 of the rear wall and the rear edge of the lid are formed into hinge knuckles which intertit and the lid 5 is connected to the flange 10 by a hinge pintle 18 extending the full length of the box. The front and end edges of the lid 5 are formed with downturned flanges 19 adapted to lit over the front and end walls of the box when the box is extended.

At the free forward edge of the lid 5 and substantially midway between the ends thereof there is a transversely extending latch bar 2O (see Figs. 1 and which is slidably mounted upon the under side of the lid within a raised portion 21 projecting from the raised panelY 22 stamped in the lid, the outer end of the bar 2O projecting through the downturned flange 19 of the lid. The bar 20 is pressed outwardly by means of a spring Q3 and has a downwardly and outwardly bent retaining` lug Q4- secured to its under side and adapted to engage bcneath the intnrned upper flange 13 of the front wall to retain the lid in closed posi tion. The portion of the latch bar i2() which projects through the flange '19 of the lid is provided with an aperture 25 adapted to receive a padlock or other device for locking the latch bar in lid locking position with the lug Q4 thereof beneath the flange 13.

The rear edge of the section 6 of the bottom is formed to provide hinge knuckles` which interfit with hinge knuckles formed on an angle strip Q6 extending the full length of the rear wall a short distance above the bottom thereof and is joined thereto by means of a hinge pintle 27 extending the full length of the section (l. 'lhe hinge connection between the rear wal 1 and bottom section (l is closely adjacent the wall 1 so that the bottoni member (l may be folded up flat against the rear wall 1 to permit the in wardly folding sections 3, 3' :1nd 4, 4', of the end walls to fold together at the front thereof.

The forward edge of the section 7 of the bottom is hinged at 28 with annular knuckes formed on a strip 28' secured to the front wall 2 slightly above the bottom theren of and is joined to said strip by a hinge. The hinge connection between the bottom section 7 and the front wall 2 is closely adjacent tho wall, permitting the section 7 to be folded up against the section 2 within the end flanges 11 thereof so that the section 7 lies between the front wall 2 and the folded sections 4. 4' of the end walls when the box is folded.

The end sections 3, 3 and 4, 4' have upwardly facing channel members 29 (sce Fig. 8) secured upon their inner sides along their lower edges and the bottom sections G and 7 are provided with strips having down-- turned end flanges 30 which engage in the channel members Q9 when the walls of the box are extended and the bottom members are swung down to horizontal position. the channel members 29 serving to reinforce the bottom edges of the sections of the end walls and also as supporting members for the hinged members 6 and 7 forming the bottom of the box. The free edge of the forward section 7 of the bottom rests upon the free edge of the section (l and is locked against upward movement by a pivoted latch member 31 carried b v the section G midway1 between its ends and adapted to be turned into a position overlying the edge of the section 7.

In order to hold the bottom of the box (lll rigidly in pace; ma fo reinforce me @nas off* the box along thefbottoml, means lsprovided for securely fastening the end edges ofthe bottom sectionsl to the channel memtongues 32 projecting upwardly' at intervals from' its upper edgea These tongues extend through slots- 33 in theb'ot-tom sections and arerprovidednwith elongated openings- 34 Which areadapt'ed t'o receive projections 35 Y extending; outwardlyffrom the side edgesof' flat bars 36 connected at one end`v by a pivot 37`to the? section 6 of'the bottonr adjacent the ends thereof andi closeto the hingeV con'-y nectiont between the section 6? and rearI walll l.A The bars'y 36V lie` flat against the bottom se'ctiol'iy 6 and: are adapted! to be positioned alongside ofV an in contact witlr the upwardly projecting tongues 32 of thechannel members-'29 with thep-rojectionsf- 54 extend-- ingj through the-openings 34 in the tongues 32 and# through slots 38' inf the flanges off thez channelmembe'rs 29. V`The bars 36' exr i tend'l substantiallythe' full length ofi the end walls and lare f adapted to be swung inwardly clear of the channell members 29 andthe bottom* section- 71, as-ishown in dotted lines` in? Fig: 1I,Lto\ permit the bottom'members to bef folded up against the rear and" front.

Walls; A stoplkmemb'er in the form of a clip 39!Y i's'securedj tof the centrali port-ion` of the bottom sections andi servesv tol` hold the l bars-in diagonally disposed depressions 40 bet-Ween theraised: portions 41? formed? inv the bottom sectioni 6- so that. Vthe .bars do' not interfere with the folding of the sectionA 6 against therear'waill. l. The outenendssof thefb'arsl 36 areprovided with hinged spring clips`v` 42.- vwhich. are adaptedi to`l be swung down; to resilient-ly: pressa against and releasably;y engage?v both sidesv of: the. forward tonguesIk 32'l ofi the channels 279 carried by the sections 4;,4! andiy! of the'end walls,

Centrally of the" rear wall l: there is' a foriwandlyf proj ectingf horizontal. bracket 441 which: underlieslthe sectionb of. the; bottom ofi the box and ex-ten'daifwhen the boxi is folded as`r shown= ina. 'Figs'.v 5` and 6; through alhorizontalisloti 45 inzthefrontwallQ: rBhe lengt'lnof the bracket' Llll-wis such that when the box is folded the forward' edge thereofy verticali positiong and adjacent: itslforward to the" bottom corners of" theI flanged fiont and rear walls l and' 2, and' suitable flexible supporting handles 48 may be securedto'they ends of thebox. j

Iny Figs. l and 11I of the drawing there is shown a folding box constructed-I in substantially the same manner as theY box above' described except that a modified form ofr hinged lidE is employed. In this modifica-l ltion thel lid a is Connected tothe forwardflange a' of the rear wall? by means of a narrow7 intermediate section 49V hinged"- to the' flange l()a and tothe body portion of the lid. This narrow sectionV 49 isJ ofc a Width' substantially equal to the widthl of theiange l0a so that: whenl the lid is swung rearwardly the strip 49 overlies'- the flange 10"" so-that the body' ofl the lid 'can swing" down to vertical position back of the rear wallof" the box, thus positioning the' `lid Y out of the way when opened.

As showninFigs. 7` and 11, the forwardly" extending flanges 10 and 10%; respectively, of the rear sections are formed of doubleV thickness to` produce strong liin'geknuclles 50. This is accomplishedl by utilizinga blank having a sufficient length son that it may be folded back upon' itselfl to form the rolled hinge andt-his extra portion is prefer'- ably of such a length that it. reinforces the corner and ext-ends part of tli'el way down the' back section 1; It will? also benotiiced' that bracing members 51 are formed inter grally with the liange l0' of tliej back andg these bracing. members extend across the flanges S' and around'l to the rear wall'l itselfi` Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular forms of apparatus shownand described andl the particular procedure set fortlnare presented for purposes of exfy pl'anati'onL andi illustration and that various" modifications of said apparatus and prolcedure' can bemade without departing from y our invention as defined inthe appended! claims'.

That we claim is:

l. A; folding box comprising front andl rear Walls,` `end Walls eachv comprisinga pair of sections hinged together andl tothe front and rear walls and disposed inwardly be# tween the front and' rear walls, laf bottom* member hinged to one-ofi tlie side wallsand'V swinging upwardly, and bridging members-v carried by certainof said end Wall sections, said membersbeing slidable to rigidly inter-f lock with theadjacent end WallL sections to hold them against inward; swingin'g move-- ment. Y v

2.' A folding box comprising front'and rearwalls, endwalls each comprisingfalpairl of sections;hinged together-aud to the front and rear Walls and disposedinwardly betweenthe front andrear walls, a' bottom member hin'gcdto-onelo'f the side-wallsandV swinging.'upwardly,said bottom member andf end. wall sections having engagingymeans to'x 130 prevent inward swinging movement of the end wall sections at their lower edges, and means provided at the top of said end wall sections, said means being movable to bridge said sections and lock them against inward swinging movement.

3. A folding box comprising a pair of side walls, end walls consisting of sections hinged together and to the ends of the side walls to fold inwardly between the side walls, upwardly facing" channels along the bottom edges of the sections of the end walls, a bottom member hinged to one of the side walls, said member having edge flanges adapted to fit in said channels, and means for locking said bottom member to the end walls with the flanges engaging in the channels.

4. A folding box comprising a pair of side walls, end walls consisting of sections hinged to each other and to the ends of the side walls to fold inwardly between the side walls, upwardly extending tongues carried by the end wall sections adjacent the bottoms thereof, a bottom member hinged to a side wall, said bottom member having openings to receive said tongues, and means carried by the bottom member and adapted to be moved into locking engagement with said tongues.

5. A folding box comprising a pair of side walls, end walls consisting of sections hinged to each other and to the ends of the side walls to fold inwardly between the side walls, upwardly facing channels along the lower edges of the sections of the end walls, the inner flanges of the channels having tongues projecting upwardly therefrom, a bottom member hinged to a side wall and having edge flanges adapted fo engage in said channels and having openings to receive the tongues, and bars pivoted to said bottom member and adapted to be moved into interlocking engagement with said tongues.

6. A folding box comprising a pair of side walls, end walls consisting of sections hinged together and to the ends of the side walls to fold inwardly between the side walls, supporting members adjacent the bottoms of said sections having upwardly extending tongues, said tongues having slots therein, a bottom member hinged to one of the side Walls, said bottom member having openings to receive said tongues, a bar hinged adjacent each end of the bottom member, said bar having spaced lugs adapted to engage in the slots of the tongues.

7. A folding box comprising a pair of side walls, end wall and bottom sections adapted to be folded between the side walls, a lid hinged to one of the side walls and adapted to overlie the opposite side wall when the box is folded, locking means carried by the lid adapted to engage with the opposite side wall when the box is extended, and means carried by the first-mentioned side wall at the bottom thereof adapted to be engaged by the locking means when the box is folded.

8. A folding box comprising front and rear walls having inwardly extending flanges along the upper and side edges thereof, end walls, each consist-ing of sections hinged together and to the inturned end flanges ol' the front and rear walls, a lid hinged to the top flange of' the rear wall, said lid being adapted to hang vertically over the front wall when the box is folded, a latch carried by the lid and adapted to engage beneath the. top flange of the front wall when the box is extended, and a forwardly extending bracket carried by the rear wall at the bottom thereof, said bracket having a slot adapted to receive the latch of the lid when the box is folded.

9. A folding box comprising front and rear walls having inturned edge flanges at the top, bottom and ends, hinged members forming the end walls and bottom of the box and adapted to be folded between the front and rear walls thereof, and reinforcing and supporting clips secured to the bottom corners of the front and rear walls.

l0. in folding box, the combination with a rear wall having a forwardly extending flange at the top thereof, of a front wall, end walls and a bottom, all adapted to be folded together upon the rear wall beneath the top flange thereof, and a lid hinged to the top flange of the rear wall, said lid having downturned edge flanges adapted to fit over the upper edges of the front and end walls.

l1. In a folding box, the combination with a rear wall having a forwardly extending flange at the top thereof, of a front wall, end walls and a bottom, all adapted to be folded together upon the rear wall and beneath the top flange thereof, and a lid hinged to said flange and adapted to cover the top of the box when the box is extended and to overlie the front wall when the box is folded, said lid consisting of inner and outer hingedly connected sections, the inner section being of substantially the same width as said forwardly extending flange so that when the lid is opened the outer section thereof may hang vertically immediately behind the rear wall.

l2. In a folding box, the combination with a rear wall having a forwardly extending flange at the top thereof, of a front wall, end walls and a bottom, all adapted to be folded together upon the rear vwall beneath the top flange thereof, and a lid hinged to the top flange of the rear wall, said lid and said top flange having metal portions folded back upon themselves to form hinge knuckles of both members of double thickness.

13. The invention specified in claim'l in which the folded back portion of the top iiangeof the rear wall extends to underlie and reinforce the upper rear corner and upper portion of the rear wall.

14. In a folding box, the combination with a rear wall having a forwardly extending flange at the top thereof and end flanges at Y the sides thereof, of a front wall, end walls and a bottoni, all adapted to be folded together upon the rear wall beneath the top flange thereof, and a lid hinged to the'top 10 liange of the rear wall, said top flange having corner bridge members integrally formed therewith which overlie and reinforce said end flanges.

In testimony whereof, we hereunto affix 15 our signatures.

HENRY H. YERK. WILLIAM J. BAUMBERGER. 

